Signal for lubricating systems



June 1o, 1930.

R. WvEDEBERG SIGNAL FOR LUBRICATING SYSTEMS Filed March i. 1929 jfeuem Medeer Patented June 10, 1930 UNiTED y sia'rla's PATENT OFFICE R'UBEN WEDEBERG, ,0Fv CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, TO ALEMITE CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SIGNAL FOR Alld'IBRlCA'IING SYSTEMS vApplication filed March 1, 1929. Serial No. 343,822.

My invention relates generally to lubricating apparatus and more particularly to improvements in central systems in which a plurality of bearings are adapted to be successively lubricated from a single source.

One of the objects is to provide an imp proved signal device adapted to be attached to the last bearing of a series to indicate that the lubricating operation has been completed. A further object is to provide an improved gravity operated indicator for the abovementioned purpose.

rkA further object is to provide an improved indicator, the indicating arm of which is adapted to be mounted in any one of a number ot' diiferent positions. Y

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away in section;

Y F ig. 2 is a plan view partially in section; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the indicating ydevice mounted on the lower side of a Vbear- In the drawings I have shown the last bearing 10 of a number of bearings, all of which have progressive measuring valves of the series or progressive type mounted thereon. These bearings are lubricated successively from a single source under pressure, the measuring valves being mountedin a series which terminates with a conduit 12 leading into the measuring and indicating valve ot my invention, which is attached to the last bearing of the series.A c

This measuring and indicating valve com- ;O prises a body 14 having a horizontal cylinder 16 and a vertical cylinderA 18. An inlet port 2O and a discharge port 22 connect these two cylinders, the` conduit .l2 being connected to theright-hand end of the cylinder 16 by a'suitableunion 24. Theitting 24 has a small port 26 which is normally vclosed by a substantially conical projection 28 formed at the end of a piston valvefSO, the projection 28 being held against the port 26 by a spring 32.

50 Vr-lhe skirt portion of the piston valve 30 thus normally covers the inlet port 20. The piston valve is of slightly smaller diameter than the cylinder 16 so as readily to reciprocate therein and also to permit slow by-passage of lubricant.

The left-hand end ot the cylinder 16 communicates with the oil hole of the bearing l0 through a discharge duct 84. A plunger 36 having a cup leather 37 secured to the lower end thereoil is freely reciprocable in the cylinder 18.

The upper end of the valve body 14 has a transverse slot 38 which forms a guide for a semaphore signal arm 40. This semaphore arm has two holes 42 and 44 adjacent one end thereof and is conformed to have camming surfaces 46 and 48, operative stop surfaces 50 and 52 and inoperative stop surfaces 54 and 56. rlhe arm 40 is pivotally connected to the body 14 by a stud 58 which is threaded transversely in the upper portion of the body and has a cylindrical reduced end portion 60 adapted to pass through the hole 42 or hole 44 in the semaphore arm.

ylVhen the semaphore arm is pivotally connected to the valve body as shown in Fig. 1, with the stud 58 passing through the hole 42, the stop surfaces and 54 engage the surface 62 at the lower end ot the slot 38. The device may be mounted in inverted position as shown in Fig. 3, in which event the semaphore arm 4l) is pivotully connected to the valve body by passing the stud 58 through the hole 44 so that the stop surfaces 52 and 56 will be adapted to abut against the end 62 ot the slot 38.

In operation, lubricant will be forced into the device under pressure through the inlet port 26 and move the piston valve 30 to the left (Fig. l) until the piston reaches the lettmost end of its stroke. Due to the relatively small cross sectional area ot the port 26, a considerably greater pressure will be required to initiate movement of the valve 30 to the left than will be required to cause continued motion of the valve.

rIhe valve will therefore, as soon as the pressure is sufficient to unseat it, move quickly to its leftmost position, covering the end ot the discharge duct 34. During this movement sonie of the lubricant to the left of the piston valve will be forcedtlirough tiie discharge duct 34: to the bearing.` As the valve moves to the `lett it will first cover the, dischargeV port, 22 and then uncover the port 20. fisV soon as the pistogiivalve Onncoverstlie port 20, lubricant will'tlow tlirouglisaid port. into f cylinder 18, forcing the plunger 36 upwardly.

The upper end of the plunger 36 is rounded and cammiJn-gly engages'thesurfaces 54v and i6 (Fig. l) and lfvvlien moved upwardly" swings the semaphore arm clockwise about the stud 58 until upward swinging movement of the semaphorev arm is .limited .by tlieengageinent'of the stop surface 50 attlie end ofthe semaphore-arm -ivitliz the surtacel at the :lower-end ofthe vvslot 3S, as shoivn in dottedli-nesiinlig. l. i

When the signal ismoyed upivardly'the operator will thereby be apprisedo; the :tact that the systeinqlias received .sutti-icientylubricant and will cease supplying*lubricant to theisystem'.

vllVhen gthegpressure on vthe :system yis re- 1 lieved thepistonzvalvetl will. move sto the right, first covering the inlet poiitgf() fand the-n uncovering the .discharge port 1 22, and

tinallyfclosiiigthe,port 26 by theseatinggof the. vprojection 28. 'As soon :as ,the ,port 22 is uncovered theweightofthe semaphore arm l0 will` cam/ the plunger 36 doiviiivardlyfioicingfthe lubricantrom the. cyli-ndei 18..

,The semaphore farm 40, ibeing .made of fairly heavy sheet: metal, is .suiiciently lieavy and. has suilticientleverage thereupon -to torce the plungeri downwardly and expelthe lubricant from` thel cylinder l8zthroi1gh the discharge port 2O and duct efato'the bear! ing to be lubricated. i'iiliis istrue :whethertlie semaphore 4arm is mountedas sho-wn in 'F ig.-

lnorismouiitedI as .show-n 3.

vThe fact'that the semaphore arm 40 1 ydropped to its lowermost position'isa further-indication to the operator that the device hasoperated satisfactorily and that' the lastbe'ai'ing 10offthe series liasbeen supplied with its measured quantity ot lubricant.

The method of mountingthe semaphore .armsliown inl'Fig. 3 istrequently desirable j when theI bearing isl'ocated i, in certainposi-V tions Where, due to thev position of the bea-r-A ing, the mounting shown in Fig. l would be inconvenienty Ior impossible. lYThemeasuring and indicating device is thus capablefoi utilizing gravitational f'force :to ureturn the semaphore armand pist-on to -iiorinalposition 4irrespective of Whether the deviceitself is invertedjor not. l

VB'y utilizing gravitationalforfce to return tliejsemaphorejarm and piston to normal position, the device `is greatly simplified in construction and isniore durable 'and eHicientV in operation; :It willbe noted-that vthe semaphore arm dependsy atan angle ofidegrees from the horizontal when it is in its normal or inoperative position and is horizontal in its actuated or operated position irrespective of, whether or not 'the Vdevice is attached above or below the bearing. Y

VThe inventiony is capable of wide variavtionwithin equivalent liintsfand I ,contemplate; such variation as -may beV desirable or useful in the particular adaptation of the invention shown, or in its adaptation to yother devices. 'I donotrestrict Linyseltiii anyuny essential -fparticula-rs, `but y Y That ll claim and desire to secure by LettersPatentfis ,.l. ,A combination, lubricant measuring and signal device comprising a pair of cylinders, n

an inlet and a discharge4 port connecting said cylinders, ian y.automatically operable Vvalve to control '.the admission :discharge of lubricant'tofandtrom one of said cylinders,a plunger-iii .one ofsaid cylinderafa semaphore anni pivoted adjacent the. outer end, ofsaid plunger, and interengaging'cain surfaces on said semaphore farm and g plunger whereby reeiprocation ,of the latter/twill saving said semaphoreiarinfaboutits pivotal axis.

ing a plunger adapted to protrude therefrom, a semaphore f pivoted adgvacent said ;plii'iigei',

and 1: interengaging foam surfacesvon said p'liungerand semaphore armrivhereby reciprof will cause pivotalniovc- Y surfaces:andy a cam surfacey similarly :located lwith respect to each; of said' openings;

f 5. A combined measuring .valve and ico' flgl C eating Adevicercoiiiprising'a body-fliaving ai,

storage cylinder, a `valve cylinder entendi. transversely at t-lie end Yof Ysaid storage icy inder, ymeansftorcorniecting a source of lubri cantv'lto said'valve'cy-linder,isaid'means inf cludingla valve seat, y:inlet and an outlet port betweensaidvalve cyliiicler'and said storage cylinder, meansto v'connect Saidvalve f cylinder to-a bearing vto beflubri'catechn spi-ing pressed yvalve. normally rc-:sting lon said valve seat and cutting oit'communicationbetween said valve.cyliiider and said-sourceoi" supply, said valve being adapted-upon fa-pressureini-l pulseto close said outletrport andfopen saidA inlet port, thereby to permit the iiow of lubricant from said sourceto sai'd'storagefcyli-n der,

and toreturn to tli'enorinal position Lupen cessation of'sai d lubricantpress'ure impulse, a

plunger reciprocable within said storage cylinder, a semaphore arm pivoted adjacent the outer end of said plunger and interengaging cam surfaces on said semaphore arm and said plunger whereby reciprocation of the plunger will swing said semaphore arm about its pivotal aXis. f

f 6. In combination, a measuring valve liaving a plunger adapted to protrude therefrom during the operation of said Valve, a cam surface on the outer end of said plunger, a semaphore arm pivotally mounted on said valve adjacent the end of said plunger, a pair of cam surfaces on said semaphore arm, and

- complementary pivot apertures so arranged that the semaphore and arm may be rotated on a pivot in either of said pivot apertures by recprocation oi said plunger.

7. A combined lubricant measuring and signal device adapted to be mounted above or below a bearing to be lubricated, including a body, a storage cylinder and a valve cylinder in said body, a plunger 1n said storage cylinder, a cam surface on the end of cgi said plunger, a semaphore arm pivoted adjacent said plunger, and a pair of cam surfaces on opposite sides of said semaphore arm, one for engagement with said plunger when the measuring and signal device is mounted above the bearing to be lubricated and the other for engagement with the plunger when the measuring and signal device is mounted below the bearing to be lubricated.

V8. In a lubricating system, a combined measuring valve and indicating device comprising a body containing a storage cylinder, a plunger mounted therein having a cam surface on its upper end, a semaphore mounted on said body adjacent the upper end of said plunger, and an engaging cam surface on said semaphore for bearing on said plunger to force lubricant by gravity from said storl age cylinder to a bearing to be lubricated.

9. A semaphore signaling device for use with lubricating systems comprising a menber containing a measuring valve and a storage chamber, a plunger reciprocable in said chamber, upright standards on said member, a pivot pin carried by said standards, a semaphore arm mounted on said pivot pin, and a pair lof mounting apertures in said semaphore arm, said semaphore arm being adapted to be operated by the action of the plunger Vwhen Y pivot-ed in either o'said apertures.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 21st day of February, 1929.

REUBEN VVEDEBERG. 

